High Gas Prices Keeping Yakima Folks Home for the Holiday

Share this story

YAKIMA -- Gas prices are keeping many people in town for the Fourth of July weekend. The added cost to travel just isn't worth it to many people in Eastern Washington.

Although the nightmare of gas hovering around four dollars a gallon seems to be behind us, for the time being, many people have made permanent changes to their driving routines since last year.

Richard Lofstrom, is choosing not to leave town for the Fourth and said, "I only go where I have to go. I don't know many people going out of town, maybe because of gas prices."

Gas prices are down about 20 cents since last month, but it's still hardly a bargain.

The average price in Yakima is $3.78, which is still discouraging many from a road trip for the Fourth of July.

On average, prices are about 80-cents more a gallon than what you were paying the last Fourth of July.

From Yakima, a trip to Lake Chelan or Seattle will cost you about $10 more roundtrip than in 2010. To the Oregon coast, about $20 more.

Families have really felt the pinch.

"It's more different right now than it's ever been, cause we used to do a trip, a week long camping trip with friends and also try to hit the beach towards the end of the summer and those are probably both off the table this year," said Melina Hall.

While others won't pay the bill, some are getting more creative.

Serge Francoeur rides a motorcycle on long trips to save on gas. He claimed, "I've only spent eleven dollars on fuel so that's a lot for me, i have a full-sized pickup truck, and it would have been a hundred bucks to get here, so there's a big difference."

This summer's prices still don't compare to three years ago, when Yakima reached its highest price for gas, around $4.30 a gallon during July.

Gas prices may or may not be keeping you at home, but either way, it won't put a halt on the celebration.